Gary Cahill must have watched it a thousand times. The leap into the air, the perfect connection, the ball screaming towards the goal, the noise of the crowd ringing in his ears as his sturdy physique hit the ground with a thud . . .

It was the goal that defined Villa's battle to avoid relegation last April, just as it was the goal that did most to extract what little confidence remained within the Birmingham City squad.

Cahill's goal, as surprising as it was important, was one of the few memorable moments from what was a wretched season for Villa in 2005-06. Nearly a year on, he wants to be remembered for something more than just that one example of dexterity.

He does not want one goal to become an albatross around his neck.

"People seem to often relate me to that goal," Cahill says. "But now I want to be related to consistent performances for Villa, for years to come. Mind you, another goal wouldn't go amiss."

You see, Cahill has moved on from April 2006. He might be one of the few Villa players to have taken anything positive from the tribulations of last season, but he would hate it if, in ten years or so, that goal was all he had to show for his career.

"That goal against Birmingham, yeah, I have seen it [on DVD] countless times," Cahill says. "I noticed that people recognised me more after that and there were other changes. But it didn't change anything in myself.

"If anything, it benefited me. It put me on the scene. In a way, the end of last season was good for me, personally. But overall, taking the season as a whole, you can see why it was so frustrating.

"I came in towards the end of the season. I enjoyed the back end of last season. I didn't want it to end. But if you had played the majority of it, you might have felt differently."

The strange thing is that Villa's results are scarcely better now than they were this time last year. And yet, while depression gripped the club a year ago, now there is only hope and expectation and confidence and laughter and harmony.

"Everybody can see that the club is going forward, whereas it was a bit disjointed last season. That is why, while results do not seem to be much better this season than last, there is more hope and confidence.

"More people are talking about Aston Villa now. We have a new training ground coming up, a new chairman, a new manager. And the manager has been great. Everybody can see that we are going forwards.

"It was never going to change overnight. We were never going to finish top or second. But we know that, over the next few years, this is a great place to be."

Cahill is one of the few players to have his age — 21 — engraved on the back of his Villa shirt, underneath his name. He is also one of the few players to have spent six months on loan with one club and returned home with ten player-of-the-season awards.

Cahill talks about his time with Burnley as a student might talk about his halcyon days of university. He went to Turf Moor as a boy in November 2004 and returned to Villa Park, in May 2005, as a man.

During that period, long before he made his Villa debut, he was being described as a player with all the attributes necessary for international football.

"I made great strides with Burnley," Cahill says. "It was so nice to play in front of crowds, in proper first-team matches. It was good play alongside a player like John McGreal [defender]. It was a great experience, one that helped me a lot.

"I thought he was a top player, one who reads the game well. I learned a lot from him. He is one of those characters who brings out the best in you. He is helpful, full of advice and encouragement.

"I made my debut against Tottenham Hotspur but I had only met the Burnley lads for the first time the night before. We played Spurs and lost 3-0 but it was a great experience.

"The problem for me was that I didn't really know the lads, so I had to read the names on the back of their shirts during the match.

"When I first went down there, we had a good run in the FA Cup. We played Liverpool and beat them, then played Blackburn Rovers.

"I will never forget my time with Burnley. The fans were so good to me. I recently went back there, to Turf Moor, for the England Under-20 team and I received a great reception.

"Burnley will always be special to me. Now that we have a break from action, I am going to try to get myself down there to watch one of their matches. I still speak to a couple of the lads, although there has been a big turnaround in playing staff since I was there."

While with Burnley, Cahill came up against two players destined to make a name for themselves in the Premiership.

Aaron Lennon was a young Leeds United winger when he faced Cahill. A year or so later, Lennon was playing for England in the World Cup.

And then there was Ashley Young, whom Cahill marked when Burnley played Watford. Both are now regular members of the Villa team and give credence to the view that there are good players outside the Premiership.

"Yeah, I remember playing against Watford when Ashley Young was playing," Cahill says. "I also remember playing against Aaron Lennon when he was a young lad with Leeds United. You are always learning there and there are a lot of good, young players.

"I don't remember much of Ashley then but I have learned a lot about him this season, in Watford's early Premier League matches. But now, in his first few matches for us, you can see that he has talent.

"He is a quality player. The more he learns from John Carew, the better he will be. Ashley will become a great player."

And so, it seems, will Cahill — but only if he avoids injury that can blight a career. He sustained a knee injury during the summer and did not make his first appearance of the season until November.

It was only an injury to Martin Laursen, the Denmark international defender, that allowed Cahill the chance to making the starting line-up away to Everton. Cahill has kept his place, even with Laursen now fit again, and forges a solid partnership with Olof Mellberg.

"When I came back from injury this season, it was frustrating," Cahill says. "I wanted to get straight into the team. I wanted to play. But I realise the importance of patience, even though I am not a patient person. But the manager told me to be patient and I waited for my chance.

"I think there was a chance that I might have gone out on loan this season. Who knows? But I think that things have turned out for the better.

"I am learning new things every day but I do feel more settled. It is not as if I think 'this is all new to me, playing against Manchester United and Chelsea'. I don't think that. I am more settled and wanting the club to do well, and pleased to be part of the team. I just want to establish myself even more.

"I am not worried about my place. Martin Laursen has been fit for two of three weeks and has been on the substitutes' bench. That keeps me on my toes and it keeps Olof on his toes, too.

"I got into the team on the back of Martin's injury — and maybe because of an injury to another player is how he gets back into the team.

"I wouldn't wish an injury on anyone, though. I have had enough injuries in my time to realise how frustrating they can be. As long as you keep playing well, you deserve the shirt on merit. I'd like to think I am still in the team on merit."

There is little doubt that he is. But, as he has said so often, he will not consider himself an established member of the team until he has made 200 appearances for Villa. He still has 168 matches to go.

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